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Indian farmers have been suffering in silence for decades with the results showing up as suicides on page 17 of our morning newspapers. With the many adversities of a developing country, this is one that is known but conveniently ignored. This school trip we wanted to highlight the cause and effect of these problems on our economy, environment and more importantly on the individual lives and families of the effected farmers.

Students walk through and examine one of the farms

Nilgiris is home to many horticulture farms growing tea, coffee, fruits, vegetables and aromatic crops. Students on a school trip were introduced to a study module on the farming crisis of India through onsite visits to the horticulture markets and the downstream process from there. They witnessed the auction process where farmers sell their produce to the highest bidder. The bidders will then further distribute it to other stores or use it for their own shops. Students also got to interview farmers to better understand their problems at the market place as well as in a horticultural belt. Some problems highlighted were manmade while some were environmental. Poor quality seeds, unsatisfactory conditions of labourers, depletion of soil fertility and soil erosion are just a few of the problems the students discovered. We hope to further educate school trip students on this looming adversity.